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With barely 15 days left for the poll notification to come for the April 13 assembly election in Kerala,working out a seat-sharing formula among the partners of the Congress led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition is likely to be a tough task.
The first round of seat sharing talks by Congress,which contested in 90 seats in 2006,with its main allies IUML,JSS and Kerala Congress (M) remained inconclusive with the partners demanding more seats in the 140 member assembly.
IUML,one of the major partner of UDF,which contested in 22 seats last time wanted to contest in three more segments in Malappuram district,where the number of Assembly seats increased following delimitation of assembly segments.
However,Congress was not ready to concede its demand holding that there was no change in the total number of seats in the state with delimitation of assembly segments.
To cement their demand,IUML pointed out that Malappuram,being a strong hold of the party and also by considering the fact that two former MLA’s Manjalamkuzhi Ali and P M A Salam,who contested last time as LDF independent,had joined IUML.
Congress is finding difficult to arrive at an amicable agreement with Kerala Congress (M) led by K M Mani,another key constituent of UDF.
KC-M,which has strong presence in Central Travancore region cotested 17 seats last time has made a demand for 24 seats this time arguing that another Kerala Congress faction headed by P J Joseph,an alley with LDF had merged with it.
Unilateral declaration by Mani that Joseph,former education minister in the present LDF ministry,would be the candiate in Thodupuzha assembly constituency in Idukki district had irked local Congress leaders in the district.
Joseph was also in a centre of row a few years ago after he allegedly misbehaved with a lady passenger during a flight journey from Chennai to Kochi.
JSS led by K G Gowary Amma had asked for seven seats in place of five they contested last time. However,sources in the UDF said that JSS would settle even for four seats. JSS was strong in Alappuzha district.
After the first round of talks,KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala had said that Congress got a general idea about the aspirations of each constituents after the first round.
Congress would also have to find seats for Socialist Janata Democratic,led by M P Veerandrakumar the new entrant to the Front,either from the Congress quota or from the seas allotted to partners.
Kerala Congress led by R Balakrishna Pilla,who is now in jail after being convicted in a graft case,Kerala Congress faction led by T M Jacob and CMP led by M V Raghavan are the other minor partners in UDF.
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